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It is fine to proxy as you experiment. But once you start getting serious about the hobby, I highly suggest replacing them as soon as possible.

As long as the "Production Values are High", i dont really care what models are on the table. Personally if you are going to different models, i would rather you dont use the GW range to begin with. I dont care if one game you tell me a Dreamforge trooper is an eldar or sister of battle or tau fire warrior or what ever have you, it is a little more shocking when you tell me a bolter is a lass gun on the other hand.

I welcome pappercraft if it well done.

I for one would not play against a paper army.

 Okottekoneko wrote:
if i explained that i have paper models so i can play test to see if i like it before i drop hundreds of dollars on my force would that be ok?

or would i be met with a negative reception?

It depends on your particular environment, honestly. Some times people care, other times they don't.

My group has used all kinds of proxies before. My favorite was vodka bottles as drop pods. Others get very uptight about it.

I would propose that, as a compromise, you might try to find someone who's army you could borrow for a game, and see what you think. We do that also. Granted, most of the playing occurs at my apartment, but it's not unusual for someone to show up and borrow my IG, or for me to play someone else's Eldar. If I was up at the store and someone asked to use my stuff, I'd probably let them if I wasn't actively playing and they didn't have a reputation as someone hard on models.

Generally speaking entitled people that think they should win because they have the bigger wallet, are the ones that tend to be more adverse to it.

As I have mentioned, both above and elsewhere - I want to feel like the game means something to the person I am playing against.

It does not need to be an investment in the brand new $hiny and expen$ive models - I have played against all cardboard armies.

I actually and actively suggest using PDF standees to test out an army - and direct to PDF models that can be obtained for free.

Heck, if I did not already own fifty gazilion undead I would be using cardstock standees to test my KoW undead army before finalizing it. (I have a much easier time of it when playing dwarfs.)

But I do want to see my opponent putting some investment in his army - even if it is only to print out, cut out, and paste up some PDFs.

And I am actually more likely to mock an unpainted army than one that is made of cardstock.

The Auld Grump

tbh if i wasnt so into painting minis and loved the look of them i would just play with paper models the game is the game, but full painted armies adds so much more the the game.

i know i for one when i have my full army i would never turn a new player away regardless of the quality of what he is playing with unless what they have is hard to tell whats what.

Now that's all fine and good, but I'd even go so far as to say that once you build a few really nice paper tanks you might just end up using them alongside your "real" tanks, if only because you've grown to love them so!

Don't be discouraged if randoms don't want to play against paper, but don't let anyone tell you you HAVE to invest if you want to play. Granted you should buy the rule books, even if they are pricey they are nice, and full of fun info that will provide a lot of good reading time.

But what about this related question?

What if you're already a ton of money in and you're still doing stuff like proxying weapons. This bolter is a plasma gun and today the predator just has bolter turrets.

What about that kind of proxy? I myself kind of hate it. So easy to lose track of a power fist or whatever. :(


edit: shouldn't a guy know by that point how he wants his squads kitted?

darkcloak wrote:


edit: shouldn't a guy know by that point how he wants his squads kitted?

really imo if your going to frequently swap out kit on a unit you should magnetize it so the parts just snap on and off.

I wouldn't mind playing against a paper army. Speaking as someone who doesn't have a whole lot of money to shell down on expensive miniatures, or a whole lot of time to paint them but is still very passionate about the game, I'm all about proxying. My tyranid army is mostly proxy, and my fluff is that it is a traiter space marine legion that uses biotech creatures on the field. My drop pods are little wooden lighthouses that I bought at a dollar store. My friends don't mind and I don't mind that years later they have to tell me which armless marine of theirs has the missile launcher and which has the lascannon. As long as you know what your models are and are able to accurately tell me then it's all good.

I would never dream of bringing these armies to a tournament without approval of the TO however.